Notable changes

For 2013, the FCS playoffs expanded for the first time since 2010. The Pioneer Football League champion now receives an automatic bid into the FCS playoffs, which increased to 24 teams.

Under a standard provision of NCAA rules, all FCS programs were allowed to play 12 regular-season games (not counting conference title games) in 2013, and also in 2014. In years when the period starting with the Thursday before Labor Day and ending with the final Saturday in November contains 14 Saturdays, FCS programs may play 12 games instead of the regular 11. After 2014, the next season in which 12-game seasons are allowed will be 2019.[1]

Georgia State left the FCS ranks to become a member of the Sun Belt Conference. As it began its FBS transition in 2012, it was counted as an FBS member for scheduling purposes in 2013.[2]

Old Dominion joined Conference USA (C-USA) and started its FBS transition. ODU was technically an FCS independent in 2013 before becoming a provisional FBS member in 2014 and a full FBS member in 2015.

The Southland Conference added four schools—two with established football programs, one launching a new program, and another (New Orleans) without varsity football. The established programs were Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word, both joining from the Division IILone Star Conference. While technically considered FCS independents in 2013, they played Division II schedules this season. Both would be counted as FCS members for scheduling purposes in 2014, at which time they began playing full Southland Conference schedules. Houston Baptist, arriving from the Division I Great West Conference, fielded a football team for the first time in 2013, but only played a partial schedule. Houston Baptist also began playing a full Southland schedule in 2014.

Monmouth announced in December 2012 that it would leave the Northeast Conference (NEC) for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), effective in July 2013.[3] As the MAAC has not sponsored football since 2007, Monmouth's football plans were uncertain. Those plans became clear on February 14, 2013, when the Big South Conference announced that Monmouth would become a football-only member of that league in 2014. Since Monmouth was transitioning from the limited-scholarship NEC to a conference that allows the full FCS limit of 63 scholarship equivalents, the Hawks played the 2013 football season as an independent.[4]

In addition to the schools changing conferences, three others launched FCS football programs. Charlotte, which rejoined C-USA after eight years in the Atlantic 10 Conference, played as an FCS independent in its first football season, as part of its announced plan to become a full FBS member in 2015. The 49ers were counted as an FBS program for scheduling purposes in 2014 and became a C-USA football member in 2015. Two other schools, Mercer and Stetson, reinstated varsity football after decades-long absences—Mercer had last played in 1941 and Stetson in 1956. Both initially planned to operate as non-scholarship programs in the Pioneer Football League. However, Mercer would later commit to scholarship football when it accepted an invitation to join the Southern Conference (SoCon) in 2014.[5]

Two other SoCon members, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, were officially announced on March 27, 2013 as future Sun Belt members. Both schools began FBS transitions in 2013 in advance of their 2014 entry into the Sun Belt. They were counted as FBS members for scheduling purposes in 2014, and were eligible for the Sun Belt football championship, but were not eligible for bowl games until completing their transitions in 2015.[6][7]

This was also the last season for two other programs in their then-current conferences. Elon left the SoCon for the CAA in July 2014;[8] at the same time, VMI left the Big South and returned to the SoCon after an 11-year absence.[5]

New, expanded, renovated, and temporary stadiums

New stadiums

Albany made its CAA debut in Bob Ford Field, a new 8,500-seat on-campus stadium. University Field, which Albany had used for both football and track since 1970, is now solely a track venue.

Charlotte made its football debut in Jerry Richardson Stadium, a new on-campus facility. Its initial capacity is 15,300, but it can be expanded to 25,000 with temporary seating. The stadium design allows future expansion to 40,000.

Mercer plays at the Moye Complex, a new on-campus venue with a capacity of 10,200.

San Diego declared itself ineligible for conference title because of improper scholarships for football players; it will have an official conference record of 0–0 and will not have a place in the conference standings.